Chapter 53
Proofreader : Mim
The sky was lightening with the dawn, and the soaked clothes from the previous night hung outside the small courtyard to dry. A kettle of tea, which had been simmering for some time, bubbled on the stove.
Li Zhi picked up the hot tea and returned to the small table, pouring a cup for each of them.
From outside the courtyard, the sounds of people stirring began to filter in—water being drawn, faces being washed. Li Zhi overheard Li Cien and Li Xiangsheng whispering, their words faint but clear enough to catch, “She’s not in her room.”
Steam curled upward, and the fragrance of tea drifted gently through the air as Xie Lanxu recounted what had happened the previous day.
“…Liang Yu is arrogant and domineering, dismissing every suggestion I made. But this, of course, was within my expectations,” he said. “The Moqi family’s patriarch and his private troops have joined the defense of the city, leaning toward negotiating with the King of Yi. However, his children, eager to prove their loyalty to the Yan Empire, have taken a more aggressive stance in favor of war. I’ve managed to draw them to my side. Now, only two things remain.”
Xie Lanxu spoke with deliberate calm, the corners of his lips lifting in a faint smile.
“What two things?” she asked.
“First, someone fluent in the Yizhou dialect who can deceive others with their sharp wits. Second, a strong and imposing youth with the heart of a general.”
His words were nearly pointed, causing Li Zhi’s expression to shift.
“I’ve heard,” Xie Lanxu continued with a smile, “that young miss Li speaks impeccable Yizhou dialect, while her brother happens to possess great natural strength.”
The discomfort lingering in her body from the night before still remained, yet the warmth that had surged in the stream had dissipated entirely.
Li Zhi fell silent for a moment, trying to sway him. “Your Highness has planned this meticulously to secure such an opportunity, but Xiangsheng is barely fourteen, and Cien only thirteen. I fear they are too young to shoulder such responsibilities.”
“You underestimate your siblings,” Xie Lanxu said firmly. “They walked 3,000 miles of exile at the ages of eleven and twelve. Without extraordinary willpower, how could they have survived to reach Mingyue Tower?”
“But—”
Li Zhi tried to argue further, but Xie Lanxu cut her off with an irrefutable tone.
“In that case, let us ask them ourselves.”
He stood, opened the door, and found the two siblings standing hesitantly outside.
Li Xiangsheng froze mid-motion, his hand still raised to knock on the door, his gaze falling immediately on Li Zhi seated at the table.
“Your Highness—” Li Cien offered an embarrassed smile. “We…”
“You’re just in time. Come in,” Xie Lanxu said, stepping aside and gesturing for them to enter.
The siblings sat beside Li Zhi—Li Xiangsheng on her left and Li Cien on her right—both looking at Xie Lanxu with puzzled expressions. As he explained his plan and answered their questions, Li Zhi alone remained silent.
“…For this plan to succeed, I need someone fluent in the Yizhou dialect to infiltrate the enemy ranks. This person must be quick-witted and resourceful, able to adapt to any situation. I also need someone who is fearless, honest, and reliable to serve as my personal guard.”
“That’s us, isn’t it?!” Li Cien said excitedly.
“I think so, too,” Xie Lanxu replied with a smile. “There is no one better suited to this task than the two of you.”
“If Your Highness trusts us,” Li Xiangsheng said solemnly, “then we siblings are willing to face any danger for you.”
“If I did not trust you, I wouldn’t have shared this plan with you,” Xie Lanxu said. “You are Li Zhi’s siblings, and thus, you are like siblings to me as well. Will you stand by me and lend me your strength?”
“Of course!” Li Cien answered without hesitation.
Xie Lanxu’s gaze then fell on Li Zhi. She still said nothing, her lips pressed together as her lowered eyes stared at the now-cold cup of tea.
He knew exactly how much her family meant to her.
She had endured a 3,000-miles exile with one thought in mind: avenging her dead twin.
Proud as she was, she had knelt and begged for her siblings’ sake.
Xie Lanxu did not trust people’s promises, but actions moved him nonetheless. To him, Li Zhi’s greatest treasure was her family. Now that he had seized hold of her softest spot, the last shreds of doubt in his heart had been cleared away.
“Since that’s settled,” Xie Lanxu said, “you two will come into the city with me today. I’ll explain your tasks in detail.”
“What about Sister Li Zhi?” Li Cien asked.
“She will stay at the ranch. She has another assignment.”
Hearing they would be separated from Li Zhi, Li Cien’s expression faltered slightly. Seeing this, Li Zhi gave her a reassuring smile.
“Don’t worry. Master Hei Huo is still here. With him around, I’ll be perfectly safe.”
Trusting in Hei Huo’s martial skills, the siblings felt reassured and let go of their last reservations.
Xie Lanxu had pressing matters in the city and could not linger. Li Zhi watched as the three of them walked to the waiting carriage. Li Cien, as always, waved at her with a bright, innocent smile, while Li Xiangsheng simply nodded, his demeanor reserved as he tried to assure her not to worry.
The carriage driver cracked the whip, and Li Zhi watched the carriage grow smaller in the distance.
It was only after it disappeared completely that a faint smile appeared on her lips.
“If you had to choose between His Highness and me, which would you choose to save?”
While Xie Lanxu was making waves on the city wall, Li Zhi had been making plans of her own.
On the rolling emerald grasslands, Li Xiangsheng and Li Cien exchanged a glance before kneeling before her in unison.
Li Zhi hurried to help them up, but they refused to rise.
“When mother entrusted sister with the Zhu family’s token, she entrusted us to you as well,” Li Cien said. “Sister, your kindness to us is greater than a mountain. Whether it’s for His Highness or for the end of the world itself, we would never betray you. Isn’t that right, Brother?”
Li Xiangsheng was silent until Li Cien elbowed him. He glanced at his sister before saying,
“I said it long ago.”
“What did you say?”
“I said, if sister never marries, I’ll take care of her for my whole life, treating her as if she were our mother,” Li Xiangsheng replied, looking directly at Li Zhi. “How could His Highness ever compare to Sister?”
“Then get up already,” Li Zhi said softly.
Only then did the siblings accept her hand and stand.
“You two are my last family. His Highness is naturally suspicious, and before this plan begins, he will surely insist on having you by his side. If that day comes, do not worry about me—just go. As long as the three of us remain connected at heart, no one can ever separate us.”
The siblings looked at Li Zhi and nodded firmly.
When the past faded like smoke, Li Zhi returned to her room and retrieved a small, palm-sized earthen jar from under her bed.
She opened the lid, revealing a black centipede crawling inside, still alive after two years of dormancy.
The road back to the capital had finally begun to clear.
Victory or ruin—everything hinged on this battle.
Resolute, Li Zhi pressed the jar to her face.
—-
Outside the city, on a lone hill, a Yizhou guard in military attire was conversing with his companion.
Beside them stood two soldiers—one tall and imposing, with sharp brows and a vigilant gaze sweeping the surroundings.
“This war hasn’t even started, and you’re already thinking of going home? You’re dreaming!” the shorter guard said impatiently.
“Ugh, this mountain path is impossible to climb! Hey, you—can we really see Mingyue Tower from the top of this mountain?” the lead Yizhou guard demanded, his tone sour.
“Of course,” Qin Ne said calmly. “From the summit, you can see the entire eastern section of the city. If I’m lying, you can kill me on the spot.”
Suspicious but placated for the moment, the lead guard suppressed his complaints and continued climbing the rugged path.
The lone mountain’s peak was dense with trees, but at the edge of a steep cliff with an open view, Mingyue Tower did indeed come into sight. The eastern part of the city, just as Qin Ne had promised, lay entirely exposed. Though the western area—home to the military barracks and the Duhu Office—was obscured by buildings and towers, the eastern city could be seen clearly.
The two guards quickly took notes of everything they observed, preparing to draw a map of the city upon their return.
Qin Ne watched them coldly from the side.
Suddenly, the snap of a branch breaking sounded behind them in the woods.
“Who’s there?!”
The two Yizhou guards, wary of exposure during their reconnaissance mission, immediately dashed toward the sound without hesitation.
The source of the noise appeared to be a young girl, carrying a medicine basket on her back. She was small and quick, darting away like a rabbit. If not for tripping over a tree root, the guards might have lost her trail.
“Who are you?!”
The two men descended on her, one pinning her down while the other ripped away the thin veil covering her face.
Her eyes, bright and clear like autumn water, initially gave the impression of a beauty. But when her veil was removed, both men recoiled in shock and shouted simultaneously, “What kind of person are you?!”
One of them drew his sword, its blade pointed directly at the girl’s disfigured face, half of which was red and rotting.
Li Zhi remained silent. Taking advantage of their brief distraction, she grabbed her medicine basket and tried to escape again.
“Trying to run, are you?!”
The shorter guard, disgusted by her horrifying appearance, kicked her to the ground. This time, the sword was pressed against her neck.
“Kill her,” the lead guard ordered.
Just as the blade was about to fall, Qin Ne suddenly stepped forward, slashing his sword to deflect the attack.
“What are you doing?!” the lead guard shouted, his eyes wide with anger.
“Why do you have a dragon-pattern jade pendant?” Qin Ne asked sharply.
In his left hand, he held up a piece of fine jade, engraved with the image of a soaring rain dragon.
In both the Cui and Yan dynasties, dragon imagery was reserved exclusively for members of the royal family. Qin Ne’s question drew suspicious and astonished looks from the two Yizhou guards, who turned their attention back to Li Zhi.
“…I found it,” Li Zhi said, turning her head away, refusing to meet their eyes.
Qin Ne frowned, using his sword to lift her chin.
“…I know you,” he said slowly. “You’re the maidservant who always follows Xie Lanxu. What happened to your face?”
Li Zhi refused to answer. Seeing an opportunity, she tried once more to escape, this time abandoning her medicine basket entirely.
But Qin Ne was too quick. He caught up to her and twisted her arms behind her back, calling to the Yizhou guards, “Bring me some rope.”
“She’s just some hideous woman—why bother tying her up? Just kill her,” the shorter guard grumbled.
“She’s no ordinary woman,” Qin Ne replied coldly. “She’s the beloved personal maid of the deposed Crown Prince’s son, Xie Lanxu. If you take her to the King of Yi, you’ll be handsomely rewarded.”
The two guards were shocked. Hearing there would be a reward, they eagerly pulled out the ropes they carried and tied Li Zhi up tightly.
Li Zhi stared coldly at Qin Ne.
“You’re a Mingyue Tower officer,” she said. “You eat from your Master’s coffers and should share his worries. How can you justify betraying your ruler and your country?”
“Water flows downhill, and men seek higher ground,” Qin Ne replied dismissively. “The Commander of Mingyue Tower is bedridden, the Vice Commander cannot tolerate others, the people are panicked, and the army cannot match the enemy. If I go where life is better, what’s wrong with that?”
“You’ve said a lot,” Li Zhi spat, “but all it proves is that you’re a despicable coward afraid of death.”
Qin Ne said nothing further. He took out a cloth to gag her.
Seizing her chance, Li Zhi bit down hard on his hand. Qin Ne grunted in pain, unable to break free.
“What are you waiting for? Help me!” he shouted at the two stunned guards.
Snapping out of their stupor, the guards rushed forward. One grabbed Li Zhi’s head, forcing her jaw open, while the other pried Qin Ne’s hand free. It took all their strength, but at last, they managed to release him.
When Qin Ne pulled his hand back, his fingers were covered in blood, the skin torn.
Even the two Yizhou guards shuddered at the sight, unnerved by the girl’s ferocity.
“You wretched woman…” the shorter guard muttered, but before he could finish, Qin Ne advanced on Li Zhi with a dark, vengeful expression, his bloodied hand clutching his sword.
“Don’t lose your head,” the lead guard said quickly, moving to intercept him. “If we deliver her to the King of Yi, we’ll get silver rewards and prove your loyalty. Killing her now would be a waste.”
The guards’ words seemed to bring Qin Ne back to his senses. Reluctantly, he sheathed his sword.
“You refused to cooperate. You can only blame yourself,” he said coldly.
With that, Qin Ne raised his hand and delivered a sharp chop to the back of Li Zhi’s neck, knocking her unconscious.
He hoisted the limp Li Zhi over his shoulder while the other two guards gathered her medicine basket at Qin Ne’s reminder. Together, they hurried back toward the Yizhou camp, less than 30 miles from Mingyue Tower.
Notes and Context:
- Dragon-Pattern Jade Pendant (龍紋玉佩): In Chinese culture, dragon imagery is a symbol of imperial power and royalty. Possessing such an item implies direct ties to the royal family, a detail that immediately raised suspicion.
